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Fast start carries improving Wild to another win

Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) makes a save on New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller (10) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday night. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PAUL—Marcus Foligno capped a three-goal first period for the Minnesota Wild, who held on for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.

Eric Staal and Zach Parise scored unassisted goals in the opening period, helping the Wild win for the fourth time in six games.

Devan Dubnyk made the early goals stand up by recording 32 saves. He won for the seventh time in 11 starts and preserved the win with a key stick save on J.T. Miller in the final minute after the Rangers pulled goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Defenseman John Gilmour and Kevin Hayes netted power-play goals for the Rangers.

Lundqvist made 26 saves as New York lost for the fifth time in seven games.

The Wild capitalized on sloppiness by the Rangers to grab a 3-0 lead in the game's first 6:17.

Staal reached 25 goals in a season for the eighth time in his career by forcing a turnover in the neutral zone and firing a wrist shot from the slot under Lundqvist's stick 3:09 into the game.

Parise scored his third goal of the season after the Rangers were unable to clear the rebound of a wrist shot by Jared Spurgeon. Parise jostled with Rick Nash for possession following an errant clearing attempt, and the puck appeared to go off Nash's right skate and inside the right post at 4:34.

Minnesota upped the lead to 3-0 less than two minutes later when Foligno fired a shot from the left circle that eluded Lundqvist. His sixth goal also occurred after a turnover by Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei.

New York got one back when Gilmour's slap shot sailed over Dubnyk during a power-play 8:50 into the game. It was Gilmour's first career goal.

The Rangers made it a one-goal game during another power play when Hayes slid a wrist shot under Dubnyk during an odd-man rush with 8:14 remaining in the second period. Hayes scored his 13th goal moments after rookie defenseman Neal Pionk blocked a Minnesota shot in the low slot.